Steve D.

For those of you that just must make it themselves !!!!!!! , try this for some pretty realistic wood sheets . Start with a piece of Evergreen sheet styrene ( or Plastruct , or any other brand) usually sold in 6x12" sheets . Thickness depends on how "thick" you want the finished wood to be . Take a piece of extra coarse steel wool , which can be had fairly cheaply at any hardware store and use it to distress the plastic sheet . Of course be careful as steel wool can also do a number on skin . I always wear leather work gloves but I would think cloth work or garden gloves should be sufficient . Use the steel wool along the legnth of the sheet , being fairly careful to maintain the flow of the "GRAIN" of the wood , gouge the plastic along its legnth . Remember , this is going to be the "woods grain" so what you are doing is putting tiny scratches in the plastic sheet . Now the cool part , spray or air brush the sheet with a light tan or really light brown paint of your choosing , and let dry completely . When thoroughly dry make a wash of really dark brown and run it over the whole sheet , where it will settle into the scratches and produce a wood grain that is hard to beat . By manupilating the steel wool you can with practice make amazing knots and grain patterns .(burlwood ETC.) One note , I will usually make my wash from a paint that will not react to the paint I used for my tan base color , ie I will use a water based acrylic over oil enamel or lacquer or vice-versa . The sheet can then either be clear coated or cut up into strips to use as wood planks ( use the wash for the edges of your "planks" ) If using for a pick-up bed or the like , try polished brass rod or strips between the "planks" for a really cool custom look . I've used this technique on some 37 Ford pick-ups I built a while back , and I can say it stands the test of time ! HOPE THIS HELPS..... Take care and see you around the clubhouse , Steve D.

At the Classic Plastic show a couple of weeks ago , I was talking to Andy Beherens about finishes etc and he told me about this new paint I should check out . Its called High Performance METAL SPECKS Metallic Paint in the DUPLICOLOR line . First let me start by saying that this is a HOT automotive lacquer and must be treated as such . I first applied a coat of Tamiya primer then rubbed it out with red compound from Dupont . Followed by a light coat of BIN sealer which was also rubbed out . BIN sealer states that you can paint over it in 30 minutes , just to be safe I waited an hour . I applied 4 misted on coats , waiting appx 15 minutes between coats . The final coat being applied as a wet coat resulting in a glossy finish . The pigment in this paint is ground so fine it actually looks to be in scale in 1/25 ! I can't belive how beautiful this stuff is . I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS PAINT TO ALL WHO USE AUTOMOTIVE PAINTS !!!!!!!! So far I have only used the RED , it also comes in Green , Blue and I belive Silver or Black . One thing I did notice was a price difference of over three dollars from one Auto parts store to the next , one was 6.99 the other was 9.99. I realize that 6.99 is not exactly cheap , it is a full size can of spray paint . Lots of guys(and gals) will want to decant it , and use thier air brush , but a showroom finish can be had straight from the can . I just finished a 49 Merc with the red followed by a couple of coats of clear CAN YOU SAY RUBY SLIPPERS !!!!!! yikes . I'll be experimenting with this stuff in the future and I'll keep you posted Take care and see you around the clubhouse , Steve D. P.S. THANKS ANDY !!!!!

Last year I left my awards on the table in silent protest . As I am good friends with a lot of guys in the club I didn't want to make a stink in public . I'll talk to anyone about what happened in person , but I certainly won't discuss it online . (Although from what I hear , I did get racked over the coals on the Club website.........oh well I can take it !) So this years show went off without a hitch . And no I didn't leave any awards behind . I actually recieved a special award from the club president , which surprised me to say the least . Take care and see you around the clubhouse , Steve D.

BAYCON 2007 South Attleboro Massachusetts at the Knights of Columbus Hall 304 Highland Ave This an IPMS type show with multiple catagories . There is also a lot of special theme awards so check thier web site at ipmsusa.org . This is the final show in the area of the season , and is a pretty good take . Tell them Steve D. from Halifax sent ya ...they LOOOOOOVE me there . Take care and see you around the clubhouse Steve D.

BAYCON 2007 Sunday Nov 4th South Attleboro Massachusetts Knights of Columbus Hall 304 Highland Ave For a show flier go to thier web site at ipmsusa.org

SOMETIMES they are worth it , ahhhh but other times they are not .Best thing to do is ask here online about a particular kit you have questions about . One kit that comes to mind is the 1/25 scale Fujimi Cobra , Although priced much higher , It cant hold a candle to either the AMT or REVELL kits . While on the other hand most Fujimi kits are the balls. Hope this helps, Take care and see you around the clubhouse , Steve D.

There IS an inert gas that is sold to be used for this exact purpose . It comes in a can about the size of a can of shaving cream . Also you can displace the used urethane in the can with any thing that WILL NOT RUST . Some urethanes will allow rust to form if they are placed in it (experience). I used to place galvanized nuts and bolts in the can to bring the level to the top , and then seal it closed . (I used to use the gas but found out this works as well if not better .) Hope this helps , Take care , and see you around the clubhouse , Steve D.

I must admit first of all that I am a model building freak . At most of the local contests I'll typically enter between 10 and 15 models . My rule of thumb is each model can make one appearance at a show , it does not matter if it wins an award or not . After that it hits the display case , or I sell them off as built-ups . (you know , room for more models!!) As I usually throw together 15-20 models a year , my biggest problem is trying to remember what kits were at last years show . I realize that I'm extremely lucky to be able to do this , as my wife and my jobs hours give me the flexability I need . Some people look at my models and say"why dont you spend more time detailing the engines etc." Well usually out of the dozen or so that I have entered , two or three will be super detailed , the rest will be built out of the box . If I spend too much time on a model I get bored with it ( can you say A.D.D.) , thats also why I'll build two or three kits at the same time . Well don't you have any other interest's , HELL YES my other hobbies are , competive GO-Kart racing with my son and daughter ,( we have three karts and a trailer) and race around the New England area .Building custom Golf clubs(a hobby that has turned into a pain in the butt!) and fishing , both salt and fresh .(Trout,Salmon,andStripers) I also used to coach Little League baseball , basketball,girls softball,even soccer,although I have to admit in soccer I was more of a manager than a coach . And was even the local CUB MASTER for a couple of years . Time flies and both kids are now off at college leaving me with plenty of time to BUILD MODELS !!! , between models and the sucess of the local sports teams , it has been a pretty good year ! And the wife ? , she's my best frend , and loves all this nonsense as well !!

LAWRENCE ELKS HALL , LAWRENCE MA. This will be the 15th annual... anyone going ?

Oh..........It's me............funny I don't feel any older Take care , and seeyou around the clubhouse Steve D.

A cheap set of salt & pepper shakers work excellent . Just seal with clear plastic wrap and you can use the shakers for storage also . Pepper shakers have the larger holes and work best . Take care , and see you around the clubhouse , Steve D.

Hello and welcome , This site is a great place to learn a ton of new stuff from some of the best modelers on the planet , period . (I'm not one of those , I still consider myself to be a student .) So if you have any questions this is the place to ask . The airbrush will become your favorite tool if you learn how to use it . The reason I say " IF " is , a lot of people buy an airbrush , use it only a couple of times , then abandon it saying its " too messy or its a pain to clean " And like anything in life , once you become familiar with it , the problems dissappear . One of your first purchases should definately be an air compressor . Looking at the compressors in the model magazines might seem a bit daunting as for the price , but there is a cheaper alternative . ( Once you become a expert with your airbrush you might want to purchase one of these "airbrush dedicated" type of compressors , but not starting out .) Go to your local building supply store , be it HOME DEPOT , LOWES , WALMART , TARGET any of those will do , and go to the tool section to check out thier compressors . All these stores sell inexpensive ( under a hundred bucks) compressors for use with light airtools .( I bought mine at Wallyworld for 89$) If you check the sales fliers in the Sunday paper you can probably find one for under seventy five dollars . The companies that make them include Ingersoll-Rand , Dewalt ,Devillbiss , Campbell-Hausfeld , just to name a few . The only thing you'll need is an air trap to remove any moisture from the air . This can be foundin the same isle as the compressor or at any hardware store . Here in Mass with the high humidity it is necessary , if your in an arrid part of the country it might not be . Once you get started with your airbrush and get to painting , you might want to look at Lacquer paint as they are faster drying , and once you get used to them are easy to use . You can spray enamel through an airbrush also , but it just takes longer to completely cure . Hope this helps get you started ......... Take care and see you around the clubhouse , Steve D.

I attended a meeting on Aug 7th and at that point the show was still on . I know at that time there was some concern about the lack of class sponsors and also there had not been much response from the vendors . I had no idea the show was in critical condition . As with most clubs the work setting up a show is usually done by only a couple of people . And I think they finally said "enough" I feel bad as I usually only go to two meetings a year , the Christmas party , and one meeting a couple of months before the show . I work on the 3-11 shift , so have to take a day off to go to the meetings . My regular days off are Friday and Saturday . I live "off Cape" and drive alittle over an hour to make the meetings . I know to some people this is nothing , but I'm lucky as there are 3 of 4 club within an hours drive . This is one show I really enjoyed , as a matter of fact , the reason I joined this club , was so that I could be involved in the show ! As for the future of a Cape Cod Show I'm not sure . There was a member who moved away , and since there has been a large hole that no one has stepped up to fill . And that has left a few of the guys to do all the work . Don't get me wrong , on the day of the show there are tons of volenteers . A funny thing about this club is the fact that although there are a bunch of excellent builders only a couple are what you would call competitive builders .(modelers that travel around New England to the various shows.) So hopefully after a year off we can all pull together and get our show back on track . Eight more years till early retirement and model building Bliss . Take care and see you around the clubhouse , Steve D.

I'm pretty sure that there is a chrome version of this wheel in the Revell/Mon Acura Integra kit of a couple of years ago . The kit came with a ton of tire and wheel combo's . This kit can still be found on the shelves as a lowrider kit , I don belive . In any event , if you can't find a kit of this car (cah) , drop me a line and I'll send you the wheels and tires , ther just sitting in an empty Whitman Sampler's box collecting dust . All you have to do is strip the chrome ( Bleech-White or Easy-Off oven cleaner ) and give them a coat of Metalizer . Take care and see you around the clubhouse , Steve D.

WOW Steve D. is finally going to post a pic . Will wonders never cease . THANKS GREGG !!!!!!

The thing about judging is , that it is a volentary thing , that often invites personal feelings about the model being judged . One guy will say "thats too shiney for a race car " , another will say "the flaps on a P-51 Mustang should'nt hang down that far" . While both of these comments might be true , they could also quite possibly be wrong. A model as it sits on the table is actually a "snapshot" of a particular item , frozen in time as it were . As for the race car , has the judge actually seen this particular car before a race , to know that it was not not that shiney after all . And if he has , has he also seen all the other cars that this model is competing against ? If he has , then he certainly can make the comparason , if he has'nt he should not . As for the P-51 Mustang , after the plane has been sitting for a couple of hours , the hydraulic pressure bleeds off and the flaps droop ..... your kidding ... not EVERYONE knows that ? (not that they should) . So you have to ask yourself , how long has this aircraft been sitting ... NO YOU DON'T IT'S A SNAP SHOT ! One thing that many judges do , (inadvertantly , I might add) is they use thier particular knowledge of a certain subject in the judging . While this might sound OK , if you don"t have the same knowledge of the other models this item is competing against , it is NOT OK . This "EXPERT" knowledge is either going to help or hurt the model in question , unfairly in any case . A couple of years ago at one of "our" shows (CAPE COD) there was an audible gasp when the top aircraft was announced . As it turns out the judges were not that experienced and had made a mistake . (that was determined later) So now we as a club try to do a better job of putting judging teams togrther , at least two experienced and one novice ! Needless to say our club was taken to task on the internet over that one . All I can say is "WE'LL TRY "to not let it happen again....not that it won't . In closing , if you have never judged , give it a shot , you will be amazed at how much you will learn . And if you have , and do judge , THANK YOU , we all APPRECIATE IT .( even though we SOMETIMES bitch!) Steve D.

Hey Len , Try checking out V-R-M . com on line , Vintage Racing Miniatures , the owner is a racing nut and he has links for tons of race cars ( especially Corvettes , Ismael ) . He also produces excellent decals that are manufactured by Cartograph that must be seen to be appreciated . And as an added plus Steve D. is a really cool guy , that is quite knowledgeable , and is not afraid to spread it around . ( and he has cool initials ! ) Hope this helps..... Take care and see you around the clubhouse , Steve D.

Thanks for the info guys , I really appreciate it . The only reason I questioned the color was the fact that the decals in the ARII kit are definately an off white color something like "racing white" , I'm sure . The box art shows the roundels (circles around the numbers) to be the same color as the body . So before I applied them , I figured I'd get the scoop here..( I'm glad I did ). I recently purchased a set of decals on e-pay from a Fisher kit and when they get here I plan on using them . I've never used anything from Fisher personally , but from what I have seen at local shows , thier stuff looks pretty good . The ARII kit itself is pretty basic cosisting of about 30 parts molded in black and white plastic with a clear parts sprue for the windshield and nose lights . ( the windshield looks like it could use a dip in some future , as its not really crystal clear.) It is basically a slotcar curbside with steerable front wheels . This car would be a good companion for the Revell/Mon Chaparral coupe that has been available through the years . ( I must have at least one in my stash !!) And although it's pretty basic , the painted body looks really sharp , and I'm sure this kit will look right at home in my endurance car collection . Take care and see you around the clubhouse Steve D.

Dear Gregg and Jarius, I have a question that I'm sure you have the answer to reguarding Chapparals . I have a sneaking suspicion they were an off white color , what Tamiya calls racing white . Wimbledon white is a Ford color I belive . They raced a Mustang at Le Mans in that color . Anyway I picked up the ARII kit of the roadster , and it just dosen't look right painted pure white . And I figured I'd cut to the chase and just ask you guys .

CAPE COD COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN WEST BARNSTABLE , MASSACHUSETTS SCALE MODEL RACING FOR THE "CAPE COD CUP" visit website for more details @ www.ccsma.com

The decals in the REV/MON H GT-350 are a bieige brown , and look bogus on the finished model . I ended up using Fred Cady decals, alas , I wish I bought two sets ! Take care and see you around the club house , Steve D.

Last year I built a couple of Revell's new chopper motorcycle kits , and while finishing them , noticed quite a difference between one I had painted with white primer and the other with gray . And this got me to thinking (a dangerous thing) what would this paint look like with a bunch of different undercoats or primers if you will . Next was , what car looks really good and is green metallic ? Well it just so happens I have a case of Revell's rereleased Shelby Cobra with the excellent Cartgraph decals . And Sam Feinstein's green car is the perfect canvas for this little test . So I built up five models for the test ( originally I was just going to paint the bodies , but mt ADD got the best of me and I finished them all ... when I found my self starting to super detail one I had to run away...) I decided to go with what I thought were the most common colors to use for basecoats . White primer , Gray primer , Gloss Black , Silver Leaf , and Gold . All the paint used was Tamiya Lacquer in the spray can . Tamiya makes 2 different colors of gray primers , regular and fine . One is a light gray while the other is a little darker , and more like the standard automotive type , I chose to use this . I sprayed all the models with the primer one day , allowed to dry for 24 hours, then dusted on two finish coats . Allowing about an hour between finish coats . All the models were done uniformily as far as time goes . I think this is important when dealing with lacquers , as the finish coats actually eat into the base coat and react to some extent .If you allowed the primer to completely gas out (7-8 days) you might not get the extreme differences in color that I came up with . Well the results are pretty amazing to say the least . Everyone who looks at them has a different favorite , I'm kinda partial to the one with the Gloss Black undercoat . It looks like it was painted with liquid Emeralds really cool . I plan on showing these at shows around New England this Fall ,and maybe at the NNL EAST in the spring (I've made the last two ) When using Lacquer paint experiment before hand , because there are so many different types with all kinds of different ingredients , that the only teacher can be EXPERIENCE ! ! That was the main reason I used all the products from one company . As a matter of fact I think Tamiya paint is a little pricey !! and only use it when necessary ! (TIGHT WAD ????? what..) ALSO REMEMBER LACQUER IS DANGEROUS <TREAT IT WITH THE PROPER RESPECT . Take care , and see you around the clubhouse , Steve D.

A friend recomended this book to me a couple of years ago , and I've used it as inspiration for at least a dozen models . I bought two used copies online at borders and have since given one away . I guard this copy here with my life ...... Really , if you like drag racing and hot rodding , in pictures , from the beginning , this book is a must have ! " DRY LAKES AND DRAG STRIPS " " the american hot rod " Written by Dean Batchelor Pub / Motorbooks Classics I would imagine this book is still available online for short money . take care and see you around the clubhouse , Steve D.

The only time I polish after a finish coat , is when I find a cat hair or piece of dust . I have found that doing all the prep work before painting , makes the finish coat go on soooo smooth , polishing after is not necessary . This is done using Tamiya paint right out of the spray can . This paint is so good it does not require polishing . (the polishing is done before) see you around the clubhouse, Steve D.

Hi Bob, First question , what type of paint are you using ? Hopefully you are using a lacquer of some type . The only reason I say that is , thats what I'm most familiar with . And although they require a little more care in the safe handling department , the speed you can work at more than makes up for it . Tamiya Lacquer in the spray can is an excellent paint if it is available to you . ( not all hobby shops carry it ) Another alternative is automotive paint , which can be had at any of the chain stores . (NAPA , PEP-BOYS , ALLIED what have you ) Make sure you use a primer made specifically for plastic , otherwise some of these color coats will melt plastic . And finally there is one of my recent favorites , fingernail polish . And although this must be air brushed , there is no shortage of wild colors in the bargain bin of your favorite discount store . (just remember to buy two as the bottles are usually pretty small) Now back to the original question . When using Tamiya clear I usually dust on three coats .Allowing about ten to fifteen minutes between coats to give the lacquer a little time to "set-up" When dusting on the fourth coat resist the temptation and STOP which is hard to do because its starting to look so nice . Now after waiting about fifteen to twenty minutes lay on the final coat , just a little heavier than the previous coats . The final coat melts the previous coats together and gives that wet look . A couple of words of caution with the final coat , don't over do it and you won't get the dredded runs . It's always easier to recoat than have to sand off sags and runs in the paint . The method I described above , dusting on four followed by one wet coat , to me is actually applying just one coat of lacquer . That's just how a coat of lacquer is applied , as opposed to two medium coats of enamel . The only problem I have with enamel paint is the waiting for the curing process . Hope this helps , Take care and see you around the clubhouse, Steve D.